Joseph hollely



(No Model.)

J. HOLLELY.

CLASP FOR SHOES OR OTHER WEARING APPAREL. No. 339,179. Patented Apr. 6, 1886.

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iJNiTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH HOLLELY, OF BROOKLYN, NEX" YORK.

CLASPS FOR SHOES OR OTHER WEARING-APPAREL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 339,179, dated April 6,1886.

Application filed December 5, 1885. Serial No. 184,861.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Josnrn HOLLELY, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clasps for Shoes and Wearing-Apparel, whereof the following is a specification, reference being had to the drawings hereto annexed.

My invention consists in a base-plate having two longitudinal incisions, the middle portion between the incisions being swaged downward, while the marginal portions outside of the incisions are transversely indented to receive and hold the pivot of a lever which has an eccentric or cam shaped head provided with pivots titted to said indentations, and held therein by the spring action of the central and marginal portions between which the head is clasped, and in thccombination of the base-plate and lever thus constructed.

In the drawings, Figure l is perspective view of the base-plate. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the lever. Fig. 3 shows the entire clasp as seen from the top. Fig. 4 is asectional view taken lengthwise of Fig. 3.

The entire clasp is composed of a base-plate, A, and a lever or hook, B, for one part, and a slotted eye-plate, C, for the other part. The lever is suitably pivoted to the baseplate, and the plate O has one or more cross-slots a a, for engagement with the lever in use. The base-plate has two longitudinal, preferably parallel, incisions, b b, leaving both ends whole, and the middle portion between them is swaged dOWIlWtIld,Wlllle the margins or sides outside of the incisions are struck upward in the form of transverse indentations d d, in the under side, of suflicient depth to receive and retain pivots e e of the lever. The head of thelever is eccentric or cam -shaped, and the central portion of the baseplate bears upward on the extremity of the cam, tending to force the lever toward the indentations or pivot-bearings d d, so that the lever is thus held elastically between the central and the marginal portions of the base-plate, the center and side portions pressing toward each other, causing the pivots to be retained in the said indentations, whereby any hinging of the lever to the base- (No model.)

plate is dispensed with. At the same time the elasticity of the said parts or divisions of the base-plate holds the lever forcibly closed when the latter is engaged with the eye-plate o. In this manner all three divisions of the baseplate act as springs in connection with the lever, and such springs, made as described,with both ends in one with the base-plate, are much stronger and more durable and may be made of lighter material than when made in separate pieces, or than if made with one end only of such springs integral with the said plate A and the other ends disconnected and free. For making a base-plate in three divisions and so forming three springs by means of the two incisions made midway between the ends, the central portion should be abouttwice the width of the side or marginal divisions.

The device is susceptible of considerable variation in form within the scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a clasp, the base-plate A, having two incisions made lengthwise therein, so as to form three spring port-ions connected together at their opposite ends, substantially as and with the result set forth.

In a clasp, the base-plate having two incisions formed lengthwise therein, making three divisions or springs, all connected at their opposite ends, and the central one of which is swaged downward, while the side portions are struck upward and transversely indented at their mid-length to provide pivotbearings for the lever, as specified.

3. The combination, with the base-plate having three divisions or springs connected at opposite ends, of a lever whose pivots are held in indentations in the outer divisions by pressure of the said springs, the outer portions acting downward upon the pivots and the central portion acting upward on the head of the lever, whereby the lever is elastically maintained in position, substantially as and for the purpose described.

JOSEPH HOLLELY.

Witnesses:

CHAS. T. DEFoREsr, EARLE H. SMITH. 

